So pretty much I should't really buy that converter cause it wouldn't do much for me. Right now I only use the left and right audio from my dvd to my receiver so am I get dd sound. If I bought this converter would I get the correct sound?

Right now I only use the left and right audio from my dvd to my receiver so am I get dd sound.

Are you sure? Dolby Digital is totally different from Dolby Pro-Logic. PL works with Left and Right, and creates 4 channels out of it. DD has 6 discrete or independent channels. If you're not using a digital (coax or optical) connection from your DVD player to your receiver, you'll need to run 6 cables between the DVD player and the receiver. And that too, only if your DVD player has a DD decoder (AFAIK, most don't, but yours might).

If you have a full 5.1 speaker setup (2 fronts, 2 rears, 1 center channel, 1 subwoofer), I don't think you're getting full DD with your current hookup. IF your DVD player only has an optical output (like someone said, this sounds strange, so you might want to double-check this) and your receiver only has coax inputs, get the optical-to-coax converter, I think it will be worth it. Of course, if you want DTS, you'll probably have to get a new receiver.

Right now I only use the left and right audio from my dvd to my receiver so am I get dd sound. If I bought this converter would I get the correct sound?

If you have your DVD player connected to your receiver with the left and right audio connections, you are not getting Dolby Digital sound. You're getting downmixed analog Dolby Pro-Logic sound.
To get Dolby Digital and/or DTS, you must either use a digital connection (optical or coaxial, which is a single cable, not left and right) or have a player with built-in decoders connected to the receiver with six cables.
We can help you figure out your connections better if you post the brands and model numbers of your DVD player and surround sound receiver.

The Dolby Digital and DTS signals must be decoded at some point into 5 (or more) discrete channels. This can either be done in your DVD player or your digital audio/visual receiver.

In your case the DVD player can decode DD but not DTS. Your receiver can decode both formats but it needs a direct digital connection to do so.

To get DD on your system without a digital cable you can use 6 seperate cables, one for each of the 5.1 discrete channels (main L/R, center, rear L/R and sub). You hook those up from the pre-amp outputs on the back of your DVD player to the external decoder inputs of your receiver. Of course, if your receiver does not support an external decoder then you can not do this either. If this is the case I'd suggest upgrading your receiver.

In your case there is no way to get DTS onto your system without a digital cable.

Using the Left/Right channels from the DVD player only will get you Dolby Pro-Logic which is a poor substitute for DD/DTS.

Make sense? Not sure I needed to explain all this but I saw some things said in the above posts that seemed off and I just wanted to make sure we're all on the page. If I'm wrong or missed something please correct me.

As for your coaxial/optical converter, I've never seen one but I expect that they exist. Did you try asking at the shop you bought your gear?

Well, IMO, the only real idiots are the ones who think they know everything and so never ask questions or listen to other people. Going by that, you are the exact opposite Everyone learns stuff at some time, and a lack of knowledge is certainly not the same thing as stupidity.
I would repeat someone's request that you provide the exact brand and model number of your DVD player and receiver. People would be able to give you more precise advice about what your equipment can or cannot do if they know what it is.

Jamie, not too long ago I knew less about HT then you do now. Technology is neat but it's anything but obvious. Saurav is right, the only idiots are those who refuse to admit they made mistakes and never ask for help. You're fortunate enough to have found this forum which is very friendly and informative. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

In your case the DVD player can decode DD but not DTS. Your receiver can decode both formats but it needs a direct digital connection to do so.

To get DD on your system without a digital cable you can use 6 seperate cables, one for each of the 5.1 discrete channels (main L/R, center, rear L/R and sub). You hook those up from the pre-amp outputs on the back of your DVD player to the external decoder inputs of your receiver. Of course, if your receiver does not support an external decoder then you can not do this either. If this is the case I'd suggest upgrading your receiver.

In your case there is no way to get DTS onto your system without a digital cable.

Wait a minute. How do you know what kind of decoders, inputs and outputs that Jamie's DVD player and receiver does or does not have? Unless a post was deleted or edited somewhere along the line, he hasn't provided enough information for you to reach the conclusions you have.

We have no idea if Jamie's DVD player is capable of decoding Dolby Digital or not. We don't know if it has 5.1 analog outputs. We don't know if it has a DTS decoder. We don't know if his receiver is Dolby Digital and DTS-equipped or if it's even "digital ready." It may be an older Pro-Logic model without DD or DTS decoders or even 5.1 inputs.

It's not all that unusual for a DVD player to have an optical output but not coax. Several current models of Panasonic players are set up this way.

What worries me is Jamie's very first post, where he says that his receiver has coax inputs but not optical. If he really has a Dolby Digital-capable receiver, this would indeed be unusual. I can't think of a single digital surround receiver that has no optical inputs. I know there undoubtedly are some, but it's strange.

So Jamie, don't buy that converter just yet. You may need it, you may not. First, tell us the brands and model numbers of your equipment so we get better diagnose what you need and don't need.

I have about a 3 yr old pioneer vsx-d606s dd receiver. My dvd player is a junky rca(Rc5215p). Now that you have my equipment you can help me more. Also the coax input on my receiver is caller ac-3/pcm digital in.

Ken, you're right. I mis-read his post. I thought Jamie said his DVD player did the DD decoding. Oops. Hope I didn't cause too much confusion. I'll have to look up those units listed and see what they can do.

I have about a 3 yr old pioneer vsx-d606s dd receiver. My dvd player is a junky rca(Rc5215p).

OK, now we're getting somewhere.

You can get Dolby Digital by converting your DVD player's optical output to coax. This receiver does not have a DTS decoder and I don't believe it has 5.1 inputs, so you aren't going to be able to listen to DTS tracks with your current set-up.

If you want DTS, the easiest route would be to get a newer model receiver. Newer home theater receivers have both DD and DTS, and will have optical and coax inputs.

Thanks everyone for the help!! I am now gonna have to check if radio shack has the converters or order online. I think I am gonna but a gold plated cable from radioshack instead of using an older one I have.